primate

noun

Ecclesiastical. an archbishop or bishop ranking first among the bishops of a province or country.

any of various omnivorous mammals of the order Primates, comprising the three suborders Anthropoidea (humans, great apes, gibbons, Old World monkeys, and New World monkeys), Prosimii (lemurs, loris, and their allies), and Tarsioidea (tarsiers), especially distinguished by the use of hands, varied locomotion, and by complex flexible behavior involving a high level of social interaction and cultural adaptability.

Archaic. a chief or leader.

Nearby words

Origin of primate

1175–1225;Middle Englishprimat dignitary, religious leader < Late Latinprīmāt- (stem of prīmās), noun use of Latinprīmās of first rank, derivative of prīmus first (see prime); (def 2) taken as singular of New LatinPrimatesPrimates, as if ending in -ate1

British Dictionary definitions for primate (1 of 2)

primate

1

/ (ˈpraɪmeɪt) /

noun

any placental mammal of the order Primates, typically having flexible hands and feet with opposable first digits, good eyesight, and, in the higher apes, a highly developed brain: includes lemurs, lorises, monkeys, apes, and man

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the order Primates

Derived Forms

primatial (praɪˈmeɪʃəl), adjective

Word Origin for primate

C18: from New Latin primates, plural of prīmās principal, from prīmus first

Related forms

Science definitions for primate

primate

[ prī′māt′ ]

Any of various mammals of the order Primates, having a highly developed brain, eyes facing forward, a shortened nose and muzzle, and opposable thumbs. Primates usually live in groups with complex social systems, and their high intelligence allows them to adapt their behavior successfully to different environments. Lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans are primates.